The Other Side
by Beautiful Unfolding
Summary: Middle-earth is a setting. A setting for mythes and legends. About elves, dwarves and everything else that didn't exist in the real world. A setting where kids - and adults - could loose reality and themselves in. But what if that setting became mine? What if I became part of a story, but I told you that it wasn't just some story, but real? Crazy? Yes, I thought so too...
1. Chapter 1: An Unexpected Accident

"You did what?"

"I know you don't like it, but I kind of already promised it…", my best friend on the other side of the line said.

"No, no way. You know that I hate it!"

"Jees, you sound like I'm making you watch Oprah or something."

"You might as well."

"Exaggerating much? C'mon, it's just a date."

"I don't want to date, it'll just be a waste my time."

"You can't be alone forever."

"I won't, I will have you."

"Don't forget me!", a little boy yelled from the table.

"And you, of course.", still looking at him, while closing his lunchbox.

"Haha, funny. You're coming."

"No, I'm not, I have to work tomorrow. You know, some actually have to work to live. But I have to go, have to bring Liam to his soccer match."

"You're home?"

"Yes, I am."

"And your father?"

"Not here. I really need to go."

"Okay, wish Liam luck and see you tonight."

"No, I'm not –" I was no use as she had already had hanged up. Typically, I took a quick look in the mirror.

"You look fine." Liam said as he passed.

"Really?" amazed I looked at him.

"Well, it can't be much worse, can it?" he laughed as he ran too the car.

"You little - " I yelled as I ran after him

"No swearing words!"

"I wasn't -"

"Yes, you were."

I signed: "C'mon Liam, get in the car." I said smiling. "I had to give you good luck from Rachel."

He didn't answer as he went sitting on the passenger seat.

I noticed what he was holding. "Liam, you can't take that fairytale book to your soccer match. What if you lose it?"

"Please, please. I won't.", he looked pleading at me.

I looked at the old book: "Whatever, but don't you dare forget it."

"I won't!", happy he jumped on his seat. Laughing, I closed the door behind him.

"Safety belt?" he asked.

"Check."

"Double check.", he smiled.

I started the engines and drove away. Liam was my younger brother. Despite the age difference - He was ten, I was twenty-five - we got along really well, well most of the time. I glanced at the fairytale book. I used to read him a chapter of that book every night, before he went to sleep. It was his favourite book. It was a book about Middle-Earth, a world where elves, dwarves, dragons, talking threes and trolls did exist. Liam used to wish, he could live there.

"Emma?", Liam said breaking the silence.

"Yes?"

"Can we go eat an ice-cream?"

"After your match?"

"Instead?"

"Instead?"

"Yes! Can't we, just like not go?"

"I thought you liked soccer." I said giving him a glance.

"We lost last game.", he was looking at his hands.

"Those things can happen."

"Because of me."

"Who said that?", already knowing the answer.

"Dad did."

I stopped the car, as the light had turned red.

"Dad did what?" I turned to my little brother.

"He said that I should stop crying because it was my fault that we had lost."

I grabbed his face, pushing his hair out of his face. "Don't you dare listen to him, it wasn't your fault."

"You weren't there so you can't know. You're never there.", the last part his volume went down.

I let go of his face: "Liam, I told you, I was going to be busy. With my new job and all."

He interrupted me. "Just forget it." He turned himself, facing the window.

"Liam, I – " I began but couldn't continue. The car was pushed forward. I heart Liam scream, as I dizzily pushed myself from the steering wheel. Turning too Liam, who looked at me, with only fear in his eyes.

"Are you … " I stopped as something behind him caught my attention. Two big light bulbs. I moved forward and then everything went white.

* * *

I gasped for air, having the feeling like all the air was ripped from my lungs. Quickly, sitting up to get more. As my body had enough oxygen. I became aware of the surrounding.

"What the hell?", I couldn't believe what was in front of me. I closed them again, once more opening them slowly. There was still a forest in front of me. "Where the fuck am I?"

Then it all came back, the car crash, the lamp bulbs, shattered glass. Liam – "Liam!" I yelled. "Liam, where are you?"

"I'm here."

"Oh, thank god, you're fine.", wrapping my arms around him.

"Air – I need air." He said

"Oh, sorry!", swiftly letting go.

He was trembling: "Emma, where are we? We were in a car crash, weren't we? We should be in an hospital."

"I have no idea." Getting up and pulling him with me. I then started dusting his and my clothes. "Liam, stay calm. We're both here, so no one is getting crazy."

"Are we death? Is this heaven?"

So that was what he was afraid off.

"I really don't know, but if we were shouldn't there have been someone to tell us that, or a ceremony or something."

"A ceremony to celebrate our deaths?", Liam asked.

"What I'm trying to say is that. We're not death till proven otherwise. Okay?"

He nodded. I took my cell phone. No Signal. Bloody awesome great. "Technology is so useful, they say. Always there when you need it, they say. I grouched.

Liam stood up, while holding his fairytale book: "What are we going to do, now?"

"I don't know." Putting my phone away: "We'll search for someone who knows where we are."

He nodded and followed me, taking hold of my hand.

"There! There is a house!" Liam pointed.

"Nice, we'll just ask if we can use their phone, call a cab and we'll be home in no time and then we can forget this whole affair. Oh, we should call your coach too.", I said as I knocked on the door. The door opened as I knocked again.

"Hello?" I asked as I opened it more.

"Maybe they're not home?" Liam suggested.

"But they left their door open?"

I stepped inside: "Hello, is there anyone home?" I looked in all the rooms – which were only three. As I looked in the rooms, a bad feeling crept over me. The table was ready for dinner, the closets were all half empty and it was an absolute mess. Plus, there was a big layer of dust and spider webs in every corner. Something was defiantly wrong. Like being here in the first place? Good point.

"They left in a hurry.", Liam said, as he looked at the table. I nodded.

"It's getting dark outside, we can better stay here and wait till they're back."

"There must have been a reason why they left.", Liam said.

"Exactly, but we don't know the reason. They might have left in a hurry because – a family member got sick."

"Or there is a serial killer active.", Liam said, always the optimist.

"Yes and killed their grandmother and now they're gone to the notary for their inheritance."

"You're going to feel really guilty when that's true."

I laughed: "Hungry?"

He nodded. "I'll go find something to eat."

* * *

"Okay, I found bread and ..."

"And what?"

"Bread."

"And jam?"

"No, just bread. Hey, can you light up the lights, it's getting really dark."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't call me ma'am. Makes me feel old."

"Well..."

"If you value your live, you'll not finish that sentence."

"Point taken. I can't find the switch."

"Liam, you haven't even looked."

"No, really, there are no switches."

"And then what do they do in the evening, reading with candles?"

"They do have candles..."

"What?", then I noticed it, the room was full of candles. "What the hell?"

"There is something really weird going on." Liam said

"Besides the fact that we are here?"

"First, there is no electricity.""

"Maybe these people don't like electricity…"

He gave me a look: "But secondly, I found this map."

He laid it on the table.

"Great! Than we might find out where we are."

I looked at it: "What is this?"

"Do you recognise it? It's exactly the same as in my book." He showed it to me. Then he looked at me: "I think we're in Middle-Earth."

* * *

**Hi,**

**This is my first ****fan fiction. So any review/suggestion is welcome :)**

**So Emma and Liam are OC. If any of the two are Mary Sue'ish, please let me know! I hate them :p**

**- Beautiful Unfolding**


	2. Chapter 2

_"I think we're in Middle-Earth."_

I kept looking at Liam, not knowing what to say.

"No, no, no, no. Liam, I know this is scary, but we are still on earth. This is just coincidence."

"How?"

"Well, obviously, the people who lived here were very big fans of that fairytale book. So big, they made a large map of it. Pure coincidence."

"Emma, we are in Middle-Earth."

"No, Liam. We're not. We're not holding this discussion. It's scary, I know, I'm scared too. But we're still on earth and there will be a very good explanation, why we are here when we get back home."

"But Emma…"

"Liam, enough.

"Then how do you explain the clothes?"

"What clothes?", beginning to get annoyed.

He walked to one of the closets and showed the clothes, all clothes that didn't belong in the twentieth century, more like the thirteenth.

"They like to dress up. What's wrong with that?" I asked, still in denial.

"But …"

"Enough! Eat your bread and go to sleep."

"Fine." He said as he grabbed the bread and walked to one of the rooms, closing the door with a loud bang.

I knew I had reacted too much, he was just telling me what was on his mind. He had good arguments. But it was just… Crazy! He had just too many fantasies. We couldn't be in Middle-Earth. We just couldn't. Maybe we were zoomed back in time? I wondered as I looked at the clothes. Yes, because that is so much more sane explanation than Middle-Earth.

I nodded and went to the same room as Liam.

"Liam, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that."

Slowly, Liam wrapped his arms around me: "I'm scared."

"It's okay. I'll protect you."

"And I will protect you." Liam said between his sobs.

"Let's go to sleep, we will make a plan tomorrow."

"Emma, that bread did you put it in water or something?"

I laughed: "To make it a bit softer."

"Did you eat?"

"Of course I did." I said smiling, ignoring my complaining stomach.

"Now, change into this shirt and pants to sleep in." I said as I took a dress to sleep in.

* * *

Slowly, I opened one eye, quickly closing them again. Yes, still here. Not a dream. Slowly, I got up. It was still dark outside. Why did I wake up? Something was off. It took minutes to realize what was wrong. It was too quiet, not one single bird was chirping.

Then I smelled it. Smole. What?!

Get out of here! A voice in my head said.

"Liam, get up. Quickly."

"What?", he asked sleepily.

"Liam, quickly, there is a fire."

Eyes wide open he got up: "A fire?"

I quickly stood up and opened the door. The fire was already in the living room/kitchen. The only way out was the window in the room we were in. I tried to push it open, but it was too crusted. Sweat was dripping down my face as I looked around. I ran over to grab a chair. I threw it against the window. Both the window and chair were smashed.

A wind of fresh air came in, but made the fire grow even bigger.

"Emma?"

"Go!" I lifted him up and pushed him trough the window. I swiftly followed him. Loudly breathing, I looked at the house. Nothing was sparred by the flames.

"There it is!"

I turned to the place the sound came from. Oh, god! Three enormous monsters came too us.

"Trolls…" Liam said, scarred to death he looked at them.

"Run!" I yelled as I pushed myself up and grabbed Liam. But it was all in vein, as they had caught up with us in mere seconds. Soon, we were lifted from the ground.

"Going anywhere, miss?" I started trembling as I saw his face.

"Let go of me! I didn't do anything too you."

"No, you didn't, but we're just so hungry." He started laughing.

"Hungry? We're not food. I'm a human."

He came closer too me: "Like I said, food." He breathed his hot air in my face, which almost made me vomit. They were going to eat us. I couldn't die like this. Liam couldn't die like this. Without thinking I bit him. Hard, Liam and I fell on the ground, quickly standing up and running again. Soon, I realized that I couldn't keep up this tempo, partly because I had no condition and partly because I hadn't eaten in more than a day.

"Grab them!"

Just keep running you can do this.

"Liam, faster!"

"I'm running as hard as I can!"

"A feisty one, aren't you.", as one of them suddenly stood in front me.

Quickly, I grabbed Liam's hand again and ran under his legs.

"Gotcha."

We were picked up again.

"Yer going to make a really nice dinner."

"Wait! You can have me, but let him go. He's just a child."

The monster - Troll - started laughing: "Yer not in the position to bargain. I already have you."

* * *

Scarred, Liam looked in my eyes. And finally, I had realized. We weren't on earth anymore, Liam had been right the entire time. We were in Middle-Earth. I started trembling.

In the end, we weren't on the menu that day, but the trolls apparently liked to 'play' with their food. I was dipped under water again. My lungs were already burning from exhaustion. For the xth time, I was dropped on the floor again, gasping for air.

"Tom, stop playing with yer food."

"She has to pay." Coming closer too me. I pushed myself away from his as far as I could.

"Whatever, go to sleep. We have a long night ahead of us."

Liam crawled to the place I was laying. "Are you alright?"

Tired, I looked at him. There was no way I could get out, my hands and legs were fastened. The only thing we could do was wait. I wanted to say something to him, but I didn't know what. What could be said in a situation like this?

This day was the longest of my life, yet the sun set too soon as the trolls woke up again.

"Let's start with making a fire."

"Do ye hear that? Ponies."

"Yes, let's go get some! They will suit with their flesh.", as he looked at Liam and I.

Scared, I looked at the fire. We couldn't die like this, could we? I was only 25 and Liam was 10. One of the trolls soon came back with two ponies. Yes, he was carrying two ponies as if they were apples or something. He put them in the 'cage' – really made out of four robes, wasn't really a cage but whatever -.

"Liam, don't cry. I will protect you, like promised. We just have to find a way to get out of here."

"Emma? ... There, there is a man… No, it's a hobbit! It think, how did a hobbit get here?", Liam suddenly whispered. Really, that's what you're wondering?"

I looked at the place he was pointing to. Indeed, there was a man slowly coming to us ands started pulling on the robe. While pulling he noticed us. He pointed his finger at me, then again made his hands in a fist opening his mouth, repeating the action again of pointing and opening his mouth. Then he noticed the knife the youngest of the trolls was carrying. He pointed at the sword and then went to it. Wait? He came to free his ponies from trolls but he had nothing defend himself or get the cage open? He was so going to get eaten today too.

"I'm going to make him squall." One of the trolls said as suddenly another man came out of the bushes slinging a sword.

"Emma, that's a dwarf. Weird, though, he doesn't have a beard.

As he paused he yelled: "Drop him!"

"What?"

"I said – swiping again with his sword – Drop him."

"Alright." And than did drop the man - like he said - on the other man – not what he said. Then all of the sudden a dozen of men came running in. All loaded with swords and axes and other medieval tools.

"Emma! Those are real dwarves!"

"I know, you're right. We're in Middle-Earth."

During the chaotic scene, I noticed the teeny man who was now trying to cut the ropes. The ropes around my wrist loosened. Thank full, I looked at him. Till, he was jerked in the air, by one of the trolls.

Oh, god!

I looked at the robes, which were now loose. I could go. I was free. Quickly, I grabbed the knife the man had used just moments before. Throwing, it away when Liam was free. The trolls were too busy with the dwarves that they wouldn't notice us if we would slip away. Slowly, I stood up. I felt someone staring at me, the man who had saved me. He nodded, that I should go. I grabbed Liam and pulled him with me. Running down the path, I kept running, couple of times falling over some branches, swiftly standing up again.

The only thing I could think about was getting as far far away as I possible could from all of this.

"Emma! Emma! Stop! We have to go back."

Out of breath, I stopped, just then noticing where I was. The house, well what was left of it. Backpacks were lying all around the house. Those must have belonged to the dwarves.

"We can't go back."

"You want to leave them?"

"Liam, listen to me. We can't win from three trolls, they couldn't even do it, then what chance do we have?"

"We can."

"Yes? How?"

"They are stone trolls. They turn into stone in the sun. We can distract them till the sun sets." Excited he looked at me.

He even had a whole plan.

"Liam, I can't risk your life for theirs."

"So you're going to leave them?"

"We are talking about your live and mine."

"That hobbit gave his live for us, he didn't know us either. You will feel guilty for the rest of your life. We can try."

I bit my bottom lip, my hand gripping my necklace. I always did that, when I didn't know what to do. If we would run away now, I would throw away all the values I had thought Liam, my own values.

"Damn it. I will go back, but you have to promise me that you stay here."

"But…"

"No buts"

"There – "

"There is no chance in hell you're coming with me."

Just then I felt a hand on my shoulder, I was about to scream when it spoke.

"Be calm. I mean you no harm. My name is Gandalf the Gray. I travel with those, which these items belong too. Do you know where they are?"

Still out of breath I looked at him: "Gandalf?"

Liam looked at the man with chocked eyes. Gandalf was his favourite character and he was a wizard. Holy shit.

"Trolls.", was the only thing I could say.

"Trolls? Here? Do you know where they are? Can you show me the way?" the man who was named Gandalf said.

I looked at Liam and nodded: "It's this way. There are three of them.". I said as I grabbed Liam's hand.

What had seemed so long wasn't long at all. Not moments later, I could already smell them. I pointed to the place.

"Thank you." And gone was he.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm." I heard someone say. What?

"The dawn will take you all." The old man said as he held his – stick – above his head and then pushed it down again. What happened then, I'll never forget. The stone split in half, making me see the whole scene. As the sunlight touched the trolls, they all turned in stone. A couple of moments, the whole scene stayed silent, when one of them started to laugh. Soon everyone was laughing, glad that they would not be killed that day. Glad, I sat down on one of the rocks.

"Happy?" I said.

Liam nodded.

"Now tell me, who are you?", the old man was in front of me again.

"I'm Emma Gilbert and this is my brother Liam"

Liam couldn't take his eyes of the man.

"Most unusual names. But none the less, I'm pleased to meet you."

"What are they doing here?", a man a lot smaller than Gandalf came from behind him. That must be a dwarf. The charisma he sparked, made me speechless.

"That would have been my next question." Gandalf said politely.

"Are they spies?"

Spies? What?

Gandalf sighed again: "Without them, I wouldn't have been in time. You all own her your life." Changing some of the facts.

"No, you do – " I started.

"My dear Emma, Liam, this is Thorin Oakenshield."

I had heard that name before, but couldn't quite place where.

"Thorin? As in the king under the mountain, the king of Erebor?" Liam said without thinking.

Oh, that's where.

"How do ye know that?" another dwarf said, coming threatening closer.

I quickly stood up and went standing in between them.

"Dwalin, that is hardly uncommon knowledge, nothing suspicious about that. Now, Emma, can you tell me where you're from and how did you get in a situation like this."

I looked at Gandalf, not knowing what to say. _Think fast._

"Well, we don't really know. One moment we were in a ca- " Liam said

"We're from Minas Tirith." I interrupted Liam, giving him a look. Saying the first city that came into my mind.

"Then you're far away from home."

I looked a Liam: "We went to visit family of us, but they weren't home. We were waiting for them when the trolls captured us."

"We are wasting time. Let's go." Thorin said.

"We can not leave them." Gandalf said.

"They got here, they can get back to their home, too."

"You want to leave them, just as they got captured by trolls and then saved your life?"

Thorin sighed: "Fine, but just till the next city."

"Fair enough. Emma, Liam, welcome."

Dizzy, I had no idea what was happening. It all happened too fast.

"Now, you probably both want a bath?"

A bath sounded nice. Looking at Liam, who was covered in dirt.

"There is no time." Thorin said.

"Yes, there is. You can first clean yourself up and then you can meet the rest of the company."

"Emma, Liam, this is Balin." He pointed at a dwarf: "Would you mind going with them? I'll go talk to Thorin." Gandalf walked to the dwarf king.

"I can go too." Another dwarf jumped in the group. It was the dwarf without a beard, who had been the first to come save the hobbit. Speaking of the hobbit, I hadn't seen him anywhere.

"No, thank you." I said quickly, not really trusting him.

"Mmmh, worth the try." He said and walked away again.

"My name is Balin, Mmh, yer about the size of Ori." Looking at me and then changed his glance to look at Liam: "Yer too small, but I think Bilbo's clothes will do. Ori, Bilbo?"

Oh, there were humans too.

"I'm here." Another dwarf and another man – who I recognized was the hobbit - came standing in the group. How many dwarves were there?

"Do you have spare clothes for the miss? And Bilbo do you have some for the boy?"

"I'll go get it." The pair of them said.

"Well, that's settled."

Wait – I was about the size of Ori, a dwarf? That couldn't be, I was human? Humans were supposed to be bigger than dwarves, weren't they? Just then I noticed, that there were in fact dwarves bigger than me. Thorin had been bigger and the dwarf that had looked so threatening. Balin was smaller than me, but only mere inches.

I looked at Liam, who had noticed that fact also just now.

The hobbit – Bilbo and the dwarf – Ori – were back in a couple of minutes with spare clothes.

"I – I don't know if they will fit you, but it is something."

"Thank you." I said as I accepted the clothes. Not able to look into his eyes. The guilt was steady rising.

"There is a stream nearby, we will go there."

During the walk to the stream, Liam hadn't even given me a glance. I knew he was disappointed in me. I wanted to say sorry and tell him I would never do it again. But that would be a lie. I would always think about his safety first. Honestly, no one gave his life or the life of someone he loved up for one he didn't even know – in real live anyway -.

Then why do you feel guilty?

Okay, in this case there were about a dozen more. But I was just proving a point.

Arriving at the stream, Dwalin went sitting on a rock, with his back to us. I didn't know why, but I trusted him that he wouldn't look.

"Take your time." He said.

"Thank you." I said quietly as I turned to the stream.

Liam sat next to me, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Give me your shirt, I will wash it."

"Why did you lie?", Liam asked.

"About what?"

"About us, that we're from Minas Tirith."

"We can't tell them we come from a different world. They will think we're crazy." I whispered back.

"But you lied, you always told me that lying is the worst thing you can do."

"Oh, this is a white lie. We're in the gray area."

"No, we're not, we can't go blacker than this." Liam whispered back.

"Liam, think about it. What if we told them we came from a world called earth? How do you think they will react? How would you react when someone tells you that he's from another world?"

He seemed to consider my point: "Good point." Liam said as he started scrubbing his arms.

"I know."

"Emma, can we get home again?"

"I don't know, I thought you would like being in Middle-Earth.", I teased them

"I did too, but I miss dad and Ellen. And I really don't like the troll part. When there are trolls, orcs will be here too."

"I don't know. Wait. Do you remember where we are? Something with east, right?"

"Somewhere, on the great east route."

"So we're close to Rivendell, right?"

Liam picked up where I was going to: "The elves will know what to do with us."

Smilling, I nodded.

"One problem, dwarves don't like elves." Liam said as he was rubbing himself dry.

"Then we will sneak off.", I said as I started buttening the shirt of Ori. It was a big to big, but in lenght it was good. The clothes Liam was wearing were quite simple too big. I had to fold the legs of the pant, so he wouldn't fall over it.

Liam nodded, then his stomach strated grounching.

"Someone is hungry.", really he wasn't the only one.

"Are you finished?" Balin asked, he was still siting with his back at us.

"Yes, thank you for waiting."

"Good, now, you must be starving. Bombur will have something for you to eat and then you can meet the rest of the company."

* * *

"I bet for 2 gold pieces that they're hobbits."

"Oh, I take that bet! They're humans!"

"No way, they're way too little to be humans."

"Maybe they're cross breeds?"

"Maybe they are elfish?"

"Too unselfish."

Embarrassed, Balin looked at me and started coughing. The conversation between the dwarves halted as they all looked up. An awkward silence erupted.

"Now let me introduce you. This is Bilbo, a hobbit. Dwalin, Bombur, Nori, Dori, You know Óin and Ori. Bofur, Bifur, Glóin, Dwalin, Fíli and Kíli."

"At your service.", the two said in core while bowing in the same manner.

"My name is Emma Gilbert and this is Liam. We're human."

Every dwarf started to look the other way. Satisfied, I smiled.

"Well, miss Emma and mister Liam, do you want to sit down?", Kíli asked, while making place for me.

"Just Emma is fine and thank you." I said while sitting down, Liam went sitting right next to me.

"Are you hungry?" Balin asked.

"I am!" Liam said loudly, making some of the dwarves laugh.

"That lad got a good appetite.", as a plate was handed over and Liam almost inhaled his food – Not that I was any better. I hadn't eaten for almost two days.

"Liam –" I gave him a look.

"Thank you, Bombur." Then began inhaling his food again.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality and the food." I said.

"Tell me for how long were you captured?" one of the dwarves asked. Bombur – no Bifur? Oh, damn I had already forgotten the names!

We started talking - well more like interrogate us - but after a while, they changed subject. Relieved, I just listened to their stories. About an half-hour later, Liam was sound a sleep, lying asleep on my lap. I was contempelling how to get him on the ground without waking him up. Although, he was small for a 10 year old, I didn't know if I already had the strength to carry him, my limps still felt sour. Kíli, who was still sitting next to me, must have followed my train of thoughts.

"Wait, I will carry him.", he got up and picked him up, without much of a second thought.

"Thank you." I said as I got up and stretched my limps.

"No problem." He said as he laid him on the ground, putting a backpack under Liams head.

I took the cloak Ori had given me and laid it over Liam.

"You love him very much, don't you?"

"Oh, of course. He's my brother."

Surprised, he looked up: "Your brother?"

I nodded, while stroking some hair out of Liams face.

"I thought he was your child."

"What?"

"Well, just how you interact with him, we all thought … there is quite an age difference, isn't there?"

"Yes, I was fifteen when my mother gave birth too him.", not wanting to talk about it, I coughed. He got the hint as he said: "You should go to sleep, too. You look awful."

"Are you always this charming or am I just lucky."

He laughed: "Defiantly, the first. Sweet dreams." And then he was gone, not long after I was gone too.

* * *

"Hey, hey! Wake up!"

Loudly breathing, I sat up.

"It's alright, it's alright. Don't be scared, you're save."

I focussed on the face talking to me. Kíli, the beardless dwarf.

I just couldn't get my breathing under control.

"I'm alright. It's nothing, just a bad dream." I said, more reassuring myself than anything else.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No, I'm alright. Thank you."

"No problem. Anything for a lady such as yourself."

"Don't make me puke." I smiled, trying to change the subject.

He laughed: "Don't puke in this direction."

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, I'm on guard, not allowed to sleep."

I nodded as if I knew that.

"You better sleep a bit more, tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"Yes, of course. Thank you for waking me."

"No problem."

But moments later, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep again. So I stood up and walked around the camping side. Then, I saw the carcase of the house.

I hadn't had that dream in ages. It had hunted me ever since ... Stop thinking.

I was looking around, when my eye coughed something, the fairytale book. It had survived the fire – Sort of – I picked it up.

"Every time you feel alone, read this book. Then, I will always be with you."

A fluid of memories began to spark. As soon as it had started, I stopped it. Not feeling to think about it. Suddenly, a hand rested on my shoulder. Scared up,-. I turned around but with that movement, I accidently elbowed his nose.

"In devon's name! Did you just break my nose?", the dwarf with blond hair – Fíli? Yes, Fíli!

"Oh, god, I'm so sorry, it was an accident."

"God, that hurts!"

"Let me look."

"No, stay away from me."

"Don't exaggerate, just let me see.", I said as I tried to push his hands away.

"I'm not the one being a drama queen."

"Sorry?", not understanding.

"What?", he said as if it had all made sense, what he just had said. "You don't have to pretend with me, being the 'big' hero and all that crap."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do and I'll tell you, it's not working with me. I, Fíli, see all trough that little act of yours."

"I never said I was an hero."

"I saw you, I saw you walk away. You're no hero. You're a coward. I'm wondering what exactly did happen. Wait! Let me guess. You were running when you stumbled upon Gandalf and then you had no other way than to tell him."

He knew, he knew I had run away.

"You have no right to judge. You don't know me at all."

"Not planning on doing that either.", Fíli said.

"Then we are on the same line.", I remarked, I was about to walk away, when he started talking again. Honestly, I hated discussions.

"We're nowhere near the same line, for example I'm not as stupid as to get caught by a troll."

"Oh, that's why you were hanging above their campfire."

"If it hadn't been for Bilbo..."

"Oh, I'm sure." I said sarcastically.

"And that brother of yours -"

My anger had reached my boiling point. Really, I didn't get angry very much, but once you put my brother into the argument.

"Don't you dare talk about Liam. He's got nothing to do with this."

"Oh, good Fíli and Emma, I was searching for you guys, were going to lea … what's going on here?", Kíli interrupted.

"Nothing important." Fíli said, still looking at me.

"Just your brother being a big jerk." I said as I walked pasted him.

"What did you do?"

"What, is it my fault she can't take a little bit of criticism?"

A little bit, a little bit? I was about to turn around again, when Thorin came running to us.

"Miss Emma, we didn't even leave and you're already the reason for a delay."

"No, I just -"

"Don't talk back. Fíli, Kíli let's go."

Amazed, I look as Thorin walked away again, what the hell.

"Let's go." Kíli said as he gave me a little push.

I nodded and walked next to Kíli, not even giving Fíli a second glance.

As we arrived back at the camp, everything was already cleared away and every dwarf was busy with his own pony.

"Emma, Emma! I get to sit with Bofur! He has the coolest pony."

"Wow, nice catch." I laughed, shrugging off the conversation with Fíli.

"As you can see Miss Emma, we don't have a pony in reserve. You can sit with someone else or you can walk." Thorin said as he went sitting on his pony.

"You can sit with me." I turned around looking gratefully at Kíli.

"Thank you."

"No problem." He smiled "Can you hold my pony, then I can take my luggage." I nodded taking reins in my hand. I had never been afraid of animals – except for spiders – but I had never actually seated on a pony.

"Emma, where are your clothes?"

"They are here!" I said as I showed it.

"Okay, just put it in with my other luggage."

"Can I take the book too?", wanting to not sound too childish. I heard someone snort, three guesses who. Kíli looked at the book in my other hand.

"Of course and don't mind that ass of a brother of mine, I have always been the better part."

Brother, Fíli was Kílis brother?

I smiled as I put the dress and the doll in his sort of backpack.

"I've never actually sat on a pony."

"You've never sat on a pony? It's nothing just get on. Here, I'll help you."

He pushed me up the horses, and then seated himself behind me, wrapping one arm around me and with the other he held the reins.

It became actually a very pleasant day. Kíli was a very easy man to talk too.

"Where are you actually going?", I asked.

"Uhm, we're merchants.", wow, he was really bad at lying.

"In selling swords?", I teased him.

"Yes..."

"Which route are we following?", He looked visibly glad, I had changed subject.

"I don't really know, I'm not the one determining the route, my uncle is."

It took me a couple of seconds to figure it out.

"Wait, you're uncle is Thorin?"

He nodded.

"You got yourself some fine family member." I said looking at Fíli.

He laughed: "Really, there not that bad. Just wait till you get to know them. Fíli is just really protective of me. Reminds me of this story. Two years or so ago, their was this big wedding, but on the same day a friend of mine -"

He stopped when one of the dwarves started yelling something: "Something is coming!

* * *

**Hi everyone!**

**First, I want to thank all of those that have read the first chapter, but more so, my first three reviewers, thank you so much for your feedback! Helped a lot! (I hope the conversations are a little less confusing :)**

**If you have time, let me know what you think about it.**

**Xx Beautiful Unfolding**


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